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("No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 1.

R. L'., s. & A. E. HUMPHRBY.

FRUIT CRATE. No. 263,909. PatentedSe'pt. 5, 1882.-

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

R. 'L.. s. 80 A; E. HUMPHBEY.

FRUIT CRATE.

Pat'ehted' Sept-5, 1882.

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UNITED STATES ROLLA L. HUMPHREY, STEPHEN HUMPHREY, AND ADELBERT E. HUMPHREY, OF FORTAGEVILLE, NEW YORK.

FRUIT-CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 263,909, dated September 5, 1882,

Application filed July 22,1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROLLA L. HUMPHREY, STEPHEN HUMPHREY, and. ADELBERT E.

HUMPHREY, citizens of the United States, re-

siding at Portageville, in the county of Wyoming and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit- Orates, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to fruit baskets and crates; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims. I

In the drawings, Figure l-is a side elevation of the crate; Fig. 2, a top plan view of the same; and Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the ,crate with the cover removed, showing the arrangement of the baskets therein. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the crate; Fig. 5, a perspective of one of the baskets; and Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section of a basket on a smaller scale than the other views. Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the crate.

YA is the crate. It is cylindrical in form, and consists of a frame formed of the rings a, arranged one above the other upon V-shaped strips a, secured to their inner circumferences at right angles to them, as shown. The bottom of the crate is formed of the circular board a, the edges of which are secured within suitable grooves in the strips a, as shown- The cover a is formed with V-shaped notches cut around its edge, the positions of which correspond with the strips to. The cover is placed within the ends of the crate, and by turning 'it into suitably-arranged notches is firmly secured in position, as shown in Fig. 2.

B represents the baskets. They are formed of two slabs, of which the slab 12 forms the sides and end, and b the bottom. The baskets are made V-shaped, their large ends being placed between the strips 0., and the smaller ends meeting to form a cylindrical ventilatingcolumn in the center of the crate, as shown in Fig. 3. To form the basket the slab b is bent V-shaped, and its ends are secured to each side of the postb as shown. It has also beveled portions 1), which enable the baskets to fit snugly between the rods a. The slab b forms the bottom of the basket. It is attached to the bottom of the posts 0 and its projecting sides are bent upwardly and secured to the inner sides of the slab 1). Its rear end is bent upwardly'and is secured to. the end of the basket, and projects slightly above it, as shown. Thepostb alsoprojectsabovethesides of the basket to a level with the top of the slab b, and the slab b also projects a short distance below the bottom of the post 11 The object of this arrangement is that when the baskets are packed in the crate they will be interlocked and prevented from becoming displaced during transportation. Ventilatingholes are bored through the sides and end of the baskets. The baskets are arranged in the crate in tiers, the posts b of theupper tiers resting upon the posts of the lower tier and the wide ends of the baskets resting upon the projecting slabs b of the baskets below.

The advantages of this crate are convenience in transportation, in that it may be rolled instead of carried, and that by the shape of the baskets and arrangement in the crate the fruit: is prevented from shaking about and becoming bruised and spoiled.

. What we claim is V -1. A cylindrical fruit-crate formed of the rings a, arranged upon the V-shaped strips a,

havin a fixed end a and removable end a substantially as shown and described.

2. h The combination, with the crate A, consisting of the rings a and V-shaped strips a, of the fruit-baskets B, arranged in tiers within said crate, substantially as shown and de' scribed.

3. The crate A,having the V-sha-ped strips a, arranged upon the inner side of the rings a, in combination with the V-shaped baskets B, having beveled portions, b fitting between the rods a, substantially as shown and described. V

4. The baskets 13, formed of the slabs I) I),

the slab I) being attached to the sides of. the posts I) and bent to form the large end of the basket, and the beveled portion b and the slab I) being secured to the bottom of the post b 10 basket in the tier above, whereby the baskets 2 QSQANNP extended across the bottom of the basket and are interlocked when placed in the crate, as attached to the end, and projecting above it", set forth. substantially as shown and described.

5. A fruit-basket consisting of the slab Z), in presence of two Witnesses. which forms the sides and end,and of the slab ROLLA L. HUMPHREY. b, which forms the bottom, said slabs being STEPHEN HUMPHREY. secured to the post b projecting above the ADELBERT E. HUMPHREY. sides of thebasket for the purposeof entering i Vitnesses: corresponding depressionsin the bottom of the AUGUSTUS BEARDSLEY,

i F. L. HOWELL.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures 

